Mark Canha Homers Again As Mets Sweep Phillies

The New York Mets (30-27) continued their home success on Thursday. With their 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies (25-31), they were not only able to sweep the three-game series against their rivals, but they also improved their home record to 15-9 on the season thanks to the help of Max Scherzer and Mark Canha.

It was not a great start for New York as they allowed the Phillies to take an early 2-0 lead against Max Scherzer before they got to bat. Trea Turner picked up a one-out single in the top of the first, and Bryce Harper drew a walk. On a double steal attempt, Francisco Álvarez threw the ball away, and it allowed Turner to score. Nick Castellanos would drive in Harper on a sacrifice fly for the second run.

However, the Mets would find a way to come back in this one as they mounted a two-out rally in the third against Taijuan Walker. After back-to-back walks by Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil got New York on the board with an RBI single to center.

One inning later, the Mets would take the lead and take it for good. Starling Marte was hit by a pitch and later stole his 16th base of the year. Two batters later, Mark Canha hit a two-run home run to left center for his fifth home run of the year and his second in as many days. With the home run, the 2023 Met team continued to make some more history with a long ball in 15 straight games. That’s the second-longest streak in team history, and the record is 21 games by the 1996 Mets.

Home run, Mark Canha. It's his second in two games. He has 6 RBI over the last 19 hours or so.

Mets 3, Phillies 2, bottom four. pic.twitter.com/e7Kobq3pWt

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) June 1, 2023

The fourth inning would be the last for Walker (4-3, 5.65). The former Met went four innings, allowed three runs on two hits, walked three batters, and struck out two on 74 pitches (38 strikes) in the loss.

Those would be all the runs that Scherzer (5-2, 3.21 ERA) would need as he settled in after the first. The right-hander went seven innings, allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, walked a batter, and struck out nine on 101 pitches (71 strikes) in the win. He has a 1.08 ERA over his last four starts.

In the sixth, the Mets added a key insurance run. Brett Baty led off the inning with a double against Matt Strahm and he advanced to third on a Marte sacrifice bunt. Buck Showalter decided to go to his bench and pinch-hit Mark Vientos for Daniel Vogelbach, and it paid off as Vientos hit a sac fly to center to put the Mets up 4-2.

With a lot of the key bullpen arms not available, Showalter went to Jeff Brigham in the eighth, and he threw a 1-2-3 inning with one strikeout (11 of 15 pitches for strikes).

In the ninth, Brooks Raley came on to get the save. He allowed a single to Castellanos, but also got two strikeouts (one against Harper and one against Kyle Schwarber). When the Phillies used Drew Ellis to pinch-hit for Brandon Marsh, Showalter went to Drew Smith, and Smith got Ellis to fly out to center on the first pitch to end the game and pick up his second save of the year.

Player Of The Game

For the second straight day, Canha gets the player of the game for his go-ahead two-run home run in the fourth. Over his last three games against the Phillies, the left fielder has found a way to be a key source of offense for this Mets squad. He has hit the ball much better over his last 15 games, as he has a slash line of .325/.426/.550.

 On Deck

 The Mets continue their homestand on Friday night when they begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays (30-27). You can watch the game on SNY at 7:10 p.m. ET. Former Met Chris Bassitt (5-4, 3.80) gets the start for the Blue Jays against Justin Verlander (2-2, 4.80) for the Mets.

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